The more of the foods they consumed, the higher their IQs.
A diet low in sugars, fats and processed foods consumed at a young age may increase your intelligence, research finds.
Children under 3-years-old fed diets that are packed full of nutrients and vitamins have higher IQs.
The more healthily they eat, the higher their IQ.
The study followed the wellbeing and health of 14,000 children born between 1991 and 1992 in the UK.
What they ate was tracked up to the age of 8, when they were given an intelligence test.
The results showed that children who ate a health-conscious diet including more salad, rice, pasta, fish and fruit had higher IQs at age 8.
Those consuming more junk food high in fats and sugars had lower IQs.
The study’s authors conclude that:
“…a poor diet associated with high fat, sugar and processed food content in early childhood may be associated with small reductions in IQ in later childhood, while a healthy diet, associated with high intakes of nutrient rich foods described at about the time of IQ assessment may be associated with small increases in IQ.”
There was little effect on IQ from what children ate between ages 4 and 7.
The authors say:
“This suggests that any cognitive/behavioural effects relating to eating habits in early childhood may well persist into later childhood, despite any subsequent changes (including improvements) to dietary intake.
It is possible that good nutrition during this period [under 3 years-old] may encourage optimal brain growth.”
The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (Northstone et al., 2011).
Study of 1.2 million people finds links between fitness and verbal comprehension and logical thinking skills.
Young adults who are fitter have a higher IQ and are more likely to go on to higher education, research finds.
Higher IQ is linked to a higher heart and lung capacity, not to muscular strength.
Heart and lung capacity was most strongly linked to verbal comprehension and logical thinking skills.
Professor Michael Nilsson, one of the study’s authors, said:
“Being fit means that you also have good heart and lung capacity and that your brain gets plenty of oxygen.
This may be one of the reasons why we can see a clear link with fitness, but not with muscular strength.
We are also seeing that there are growth factors that are important.”
The researchers found that the link is down to environmental factors, not genes.
In other words, it could be possible to increase your IQ by getting fitter.
Dr Maria Åberg, the study’s first author, said:
“We have also shown that those youngsters who improve their physical fitness between the ages of 15 and 18 increase their cognitive performance.
This being the case, physical education is a subject that has an important place in schools, and is an absolute must if we want to do well in maths and other theoretical subjects.”
The conclusions come from a study of 1.2 million Swedish men doing their military service, who were born between 1950 and 1976.
A healthy diet as you’re growing up may help you have a higher IQ, while a diet high in processed foods, fat and sugar may result in a lower IQ, according to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health in February 2011. Many of the same foods typically recommended for a healthy diet may also be good for your IQ.
Fish and Omega-3 Sources
Omega-3 fats, found in many types of fish and seafood, walnuts and flaxseeds, are important for infant brain development. An article published on the Association for Psychological Science website notes that children given omega-3 fats have higher IQs than those who don’t consume much of these essential polyunsaturated fats. These healthy fats may also help protect against dementia as you get older. Oysters are also a good seafood choice, because they’re rich in zinc. Zinc deficiency may adversely affect brain development, according to a review article published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience in 2013.
Children and pregnant women are particularly sensitive to contaminants in fish, so choose those that are high in omega-3 fats but low in contaminants, such as wild salmon, sardines, Atlantic mackerel, mussels and rainbow trout for the recommended two servings per week of seafood to maximize benefits while minimizing risks.
Fruits and Vegetables
Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, such as leafy greens and orange and red fruits and vegetables, may help protect your brain function and your memory as you age because of the beta-carotene and vitamin C they contain.
A diet rich in herbs, legumes, raw fruits and vegetables and cheese resulted in a higher IQ in children than a diet that included higher amounts of sweet and salty snacks, according to a study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology in July 2012.
Another study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry in 2009, came to a similar conclusion, showing that children who ate higher amounts of fruits, vegetables and home-prepared foods had higher IQs.
Iron-Rich Foods
Iron-deficiency anemia may impair your attention span, IQ and ability to concentrate, so eat plenty of iron-rich foods. Increasing iron intake only appears to help IQ when children are deficient in iron, however, according to the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience article. Iron-rich foods include lean meats, oysters, beans, tofu, spinach, sardines and fortified breakfast cereals.
Other Protein-Rich Foods
Diets higher in protein and lower in fat may help improve your concentration because of the dopamine your body releases with protein consumption. Soy protein may be particularly helpful, since it also contains lecithin, which may improve memory and brain function. Lowfat dairy products, lean meats and poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes are all nutritious sources of protein.
Get Plenty of B Vitamins and Choline
Foods containing folate, vitamin B-12 and choline may also help keep your brain healthy, limiting your risk for dementia, depression and neurological disorders. They are also important for cognitive development, so if children don’t get enough of these vitamins they may have a lower IQ. Folate is available in fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, beef liver, rice, asparagus, black-eyed peas, Brussels sprouts and avocado, and most animal-based foods contain vitamin B-12. Good sources of choline include beef, eggs, scallops, salmon, chicken breast, cod, shrimp, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — an omega-3 fatty acid — can improve IQ by 10%, new research finds.
People in the study, who were aged over 65, were given 2g/day of DHA for a year.
A control group was given a placebo of corn oil.
The high quality study involved 240 Chinese individuals.
Their IQ and other measures of cognitive function were tested after 6 and 12 months.
The study’s authors explain the results:
“…oral DHA supplementation (2 g/d) for 12 months beneficially affected global cognitive function, specifically participants’ performance on the Information and Digit Span tasks.”
Brain scans also revealed changes in the hippocampus, an area of the brain critical for memory.
The study’s authors write:
“The hippocampus is a critical brain region for memory formation and plays important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and spatial navigation.
[…]
Our results suggest that 12-month DHA supplementation significantly increased hippocampus volume.
Notably, we observed a 6.13% volume increase in the left hippocampus, a 1.89% increase in the right hippocampus, and a 0.29% increase in total hippocampus.”
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with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
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The use of omega-3 to prevent dementia has provided some mixed results.
B vitamins also seem to be important in warding off cognitive decline.
A recent study found that B vitamins combined with omega-3 can help slow mental decline in older people with memory problems.
The study’s first author, Dr Abderrahim Oulhaj explained the results:
‘We found that for people with low levels of Omega-3, the vitamin supplements had little to no effect.
But for those with high baseline Omega-3 levels, the B vitamins were very effective in preventing cognitive decline compared to the placebo.’
Other studies, though, have been less positive about the benefits of omega-3 for cognitive decline.
It is likely that the combination of nutrients — including both B vitamins and omega-3 will turn out to be the crucial factor.
The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (Zhang et al., 2016).
Chemicals that may cause a drop in children’s IQ are in products all around our houses.
Children exposed prenatally to high levels of phthalates — commonly used in plastics and scented products — have IQ levels seven points lower than those exposed to low levels, a new study finds.
The study is the first to find a connection between phthalate exposure during pregnancy and reduced IQ in children.
The 328 women and their children in the study were from low-income communities in New York City.
Researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health measured levels of four common phthalates, including di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP), during pregnancy (Factor-Litvak et al., 2014).
The children were given an IQ test at 7-years-old.
The results, published in the journal PLoS ONE, showed that children who were in the top 25% for exposure to two particular phthalates (DnBP and DiBP) had IQs around 7 points lower than those who were in the bottom 25% for exposure.
Professor Robin Whyatt, one of the study’s senior authors, said:
“The magnitude of these IQ differences is troubling.
A six- or seven-point decline in IQ may have substantial consequences for academic achievement and occupational potential.”
The researchers controlled statistically for other factors that influence children’s IQ, such as maternal IQ and education as well as the home environment.
Avoiding phthalates
While it is impossible to avoid phthalates completely, they are found in these common products, amongst others:
Hairspray.
Plastic containers used for microwaving food.
Lipstick.
Air fresheners.
Dryer sheets.
Nail polish.
Some soaps.
Recycled plastics labelled 3,6 or 7.
Dr. Pam Factor-Litvak, who led the study, said:
“Pregnant women across the United States are exposed to phthalates almost daily, many at levels similar to those that we found were associated with substantial reductions in the IQ of children.
While there has been some regulation to ban phthalates from toys of young children, there is no legislation governing exposure during pregnancy, which is likely the most sensitive period for brain development.
Indeed, phthalates are not required to be on product labeling.”
